金鵝 (The Golden Goose)

Five-time Olympic gold medal diver 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá) wears KEER千叶珠宝 (KEER Chiba Jewelry). Photos: KEER千叶珠宝 (KEER Chiba Jewelry).

Come on, Edna, there are many more beautiful things in life, besides their plays

Photo © elvis

So Light, So Heavy

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 17, 2024
4k3/8/p2Pp3/3p4/1q3QK1/1P6/P5P1/8 b - - 6 64

Position after 64. Qg5-f4

Yesterday’s result was the second defeat in a row for Goryachkina, meaning that her hope of returning to the limelight as a world challenger is fading away. Her lack of struggle against Vaishali in what, absolutely, was a game to win at all costs, might suggest, if not a lack of preparation, a lack of emphaty with the upper hierarchy of Russian chess, but who knows? In any event, after having been lucky enough not to resign before the time control (at the 40th move), after another twenty or so moves she finally succeeded at reaching at least a drawish Queen ending.
In the position of diagram, the drama reaches its climax. In his annotations for Championat, Grandmaster Dmitry Vadimovich Kryakvin notes that “Black is down a Pawn, but her Queen is active, and there is a good chance of capturing the passed Pawn on d6”.
64. ... d4? Allows the White Queen a crushing centralisation. Black had more ways than one to save herself: 64. ... Qb6, 64. ... Qc3, 64. ... Qe1, and even 64. ... a5 65. Qxb4 axb4 66. Kf4 d4 67. Ke4 e5 would have led to a draw.
65. Qe5!+− d3+. The point is that now 65. ... Kd7 would be refuted by 66. Qg7+! either winning the Queen (66. ... Kxd6 67. Qf8+) or hunting the King to mate (66. ... Kc6 67. Qc7++−).
66. Kf3 Kf7 (66. ... d2 67. Qxe6+ Kf8 68. Qf6+ Kg8 69. Ke2+−)
67. d7 Qb7+ 68. Qe4 d2. If 68. ... Qxd7 then 69. Qh7+ Ke8 70. Qxd7+ Kxd7 71. Ke3 with an easily won Pawn ending.
69. d8=N+! Of course 69. d8=Q would also win for White, but Vaishali is too tempted by a spectacular promotion to Knight.
69. ... Kf6 70. Nxb7 1–0. A piece and a Pawn down, Goryachkina resigned.

Goryachkina did not play in the second half of the tournament with the same confidence that she showed in the first half. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Passionately Human

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 17, 2024
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. 0-0 d6 6. c3 a5 7. Nbd2 0-0 8. Re1 Be6 9. Bb5 Qb8 10. Nf1 Qa7 11. Re2 a4 12. h3 Qa5 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Ng5 Bb6 15. Ng3 h6 16. Nf3 Rfd8 17. Bd2 Qa6

18. Qc1!? Taking a walk on the wild side.
18. ... Qxd3 19. Bxh6! Who says A must say B.
19. ... gxh6? Muzychuk feels secure enough to accept the gift, and, indeed, it is hard to believe that she was bound to refuse it by 19. ... Nh7! and hold on to balance.
20. Qxh6 Ne8 21. Rd2 Qc4 22. Nxe5?! 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) too cannot be blamed for not seeing what she could not see: 22. Kh2!! (Δ b2-b3) 22. ... f6 23. b3! axb3 24. axb3 Qxb3 25. Rxa8 Rxa8 26. Nh4 Bf7 27. Nhf5 Qe6 28. Nh1!! (Δ Rd2-d3-g3+) 28. ... Ra1 29. Rd3 Rxh1+ 30. Kxh1 Bxf2 31. Rf3 Be1 32. Rf1+− (Stockfish’s analysis).
28. ... dxe5 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Qg5+ Kf8 25. Qxd8 a3!∓ 26. Qd2 axb2 27. Qxb2 Qd3 28. Kh2 Nd6 29. Re1 Nb5 30. c4? White pushes too hard in the heat of an attack without foundation, and inevitably falls into a no return position. She ought to have played 30. Rc1.
30. ... Qc3 31. Qe2 Bxc4 32. Qg4 Nd6

33. Qg5!? A last desperate trick which shouldn’t have fooled a merciless opponent.
33. ... Qxe1 34. Nf5 Nxf5 35. Qd8+ Kg7 36. Qg5+ Kf8 37. Qd8+ Kg7 38. Qg5+ Kh8 39. exf5

39. ... f6! This should win!
40. Qxf6+ Kg8 41. Qg6+ Kf8 42. Qf6+ Bf7? As then pointed out by 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié), after 42. ... Ke8 43. Qxc6+ Kd8 44. Qxc4 Kc8! “there must be something for Black” (who will take on f2 next move).
43. Qd8+ Be8 44. Qf6+ Kg8 45. Qe7! Bh5 46. Qg5+ Kf8 47. Qf6+! Just so: for if 47. Qxh5? then 47. ... Qd2! with Black still on top.
47. ... Ke8 48. Qxc6+ Kd8 49. Qd5+ Kc8 50. Qa8+ Kd7 51. Qd5+ Kc8 52. Qa8+ Kd7 53. Qd5+ ½–½.

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) somehow managed to climb back out of the abyss where she had fallen. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Schematically, yes. However, Edna, as Aristotle said, the now is not the beginning and the end of the same thing

Artwork © Alee Plazas 🌈 (@aleeplazas)

Rhythm and Blues in the Far East

Of course, Edna, nothing is certain, and nothing is won until it is won

Photo © elvis

Behind the Line

An employee works on the production line at the workshop of 安徽京九丝绸股份公司 (Ānhuī Jīngjiǔ Silks Co, Ltd.) in 阜阳 (Fùyáng), 安徽省 (Ānhuī province), China. Photo: VCG/Getty Images.

Eurasian Theatre

Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 15, 2024
Slav Defence D14

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 Bf5 7. Bb5 e6 8. Nf3 Nd7 9. 0-0 Rc8 10. Ne5 Ndxe5 11. Bxe5 a6 12. Bxc6+ Rxc6 13. Rc1 f6 14. Bg3 Be7 15. Na4 Rxc1 (15. ... Qd7 16. Qb3 0-0 17. Nb6 Qe8 18. f3 Bg6 19. a3 Kh8 20. Rc3 Bd8 21. Nc8 Rxc3 22. Qxc3 Ba5 23. Qxa5 Qxc8 24. Bc7 Be8 25. Rc1 Bc6 26. b4 Qd7 27. Bf4 Re8 28. Qc7 Qxc7 29. Bxc7 Rc8 30. Bd6 Bd7 31. Rxc8+ Bxc8 32. a4 Bd7 33. a5 Kg8 34. Kf2 Kf7 35. Ke2 Bb5+ 36. Kd2 h5 37. e4 Bc4 38. Ke3 Bb5 39. g3 Bc4 40. h4 Bb5 41. Kf4 Bd3 ½–½ Rakić Vulićević – Girya, 18th European Women’s Chess Club Cup, Rhodes 2013)
16. Qxc1 Kf7TN (16. ... 0-0 17. Qd2 Qd7 18. Nc5 Qb5 19. a4 Qc6 20. Rc1 b6 21. Nxa6 Qxa4 22. Nc7 Rc8 23. h3 Kf7 24. Qc3 Qb4 25. Qxb4 Bxb4 26. Rc6 Ba5 27. Bd6 b5 28. Ra6 Bxc7 29. Ra7 Bd3 ½–½ Kunicki – Gajewski, 33rd Polish Junior Team Chess Championship, Łączna 2002)
17. Qc3 h5 18. h3 h4 19. Bh2 Qd7 20. Nb6 Qb5 21. Qc7 Qxb2 22. Bd6 Re8 23. Rc1? Not 23. Nc8? because of 23. ... Rxc8! 24. Qxe7+ Kg6 with advantage to Black. But the text also overlooks a little tactics. There was nothing better than 23. Bxe7 Rxe7 24. Qd8 to which Black would have probably replied 24. ... Re8= offering a draw by repetition.

23. ... Kg6! 24. Bxe7 Rxe7! 25. Qc5 Kh6

26. a4? This creates further weaknesses. Both 26. Na4 and 26. a3 were deserving of consideration.
26. ... a5!∓ 27. Nc8 Rd7 28. Qc3 Qb4 29. Qc5 Kh7 30. Qa7 Qd2 31. Qc5 Bd3? (31. ... Qb4∓)
32. Nb6! Rd6 33. Qxd6 Qxc1+ 34. Kh2 Bf5 35. Nd7 Qc2 36. Nf8+. Goryachkina was too short of time to calculate the consequences of 36. Nxf6+! gxf6 37. Qe7+ which, according to the engines, should lead to a draw.
36. ... Kh6

37. f3?? A Zeitnot blunder. 37. Nxe6! Qxf2 38. Qxd5 would have held on.
37. ... Qf2! 38. Qf4+ (38. Qa3?? Bxh3!−+)
38. ... g5 39. Qc7 Qg3+! 40. Qxg3 hxg3+ 41. Kxg3 e5! White has recovered the Pawn, but her Knight is dominated.
42. e4 dxe4 43. fxe4 Bc8? 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) plays too much by inertia, giving her opponent an unexpected chance of recovery. 43. ... Bxe4 44. dxe5 f5! 45. Nd7 f4+ 46. Kf2 Kg6 must win for Black.
44. d5 Kg7 45. Ne6+ Kf7 46. Kf2 b6 47. g3 Bd7 48. h4 gxh4 49. gxh4 Bxa4 50. h5 Bb5 51. Ke3 a4 52. h6 Kg6 53. Kd2 Kxh6 54. d6 Kh5 55. Nf8 Kg5 56. d7 Bxd7 57. Nxd7 a3 58. Kc2 b5 59. Kb3 b4 60. Ka2 f5

61. Nxe5?? Drama accomplishes. 61. exf5! would have crowned White’s defence; for example: 61. ... e4 (or 61. ... Kxf5 62. Nc5 e4 63. Na6!=) 62. Nb8! e3 63. Nc6 e2 64. Nd4 with a draw.
61. ... Kf4! 62. Nd3+ Kxe4 63. Nxb4 f4 64. Na6 f3 65. Nc5+ Ke3 0-1.

To get from a drawish opening to a sharp middle game may turn out to be a mission impossible even for the chess elite. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

It’s logic, Edna — one walks, another sleeps, and the third runs away

Artwork © Crafting A Green World

Languages of the World

In short, Edna, if one cannot win, one should at least ensure that the other can’t win either

Artwork © Crafting A Green World

Bounce

Rameshbabu Vaishali – 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí)
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 14, 2024
Sicilian Defence B22

1. e4 c5 2. c3 e6 3. d4 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Nf3 a6 6. Bd3 c4 7. Bc2 Bd6 8. 0-0 Ne7 9. b3 cxb3 10. axb3 0-0 11. Ng5 g6 12. Qf3 Qc7 13. h4 Nbc6 14. Ba3 Kg7 15. Re1 h5

16. c4? To be sure, White can hardly content herself with her own insignificant opening, but the text is a grave error that in fact loses a Pawn.
16. ... f6 17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. c5? As they say, a mistake leads to another, and this one loses another Pawn.
18. ... Qc7 19. Nh3 Nxd4

20. Qe3? Even an Exchange is now blown up, but after 20. Qf4 Qxc5 21. Rxe7+ Qxe7 22. Qxd4 Qe1+ 23. Kh2 Qe5+ 24. Qxe5 fxe5 Black’s advantage would be preponderant anyway.
20. ... Nxc2 21. Qxe7+ Rf7 0–1.

In going down to her fourth consecutive defeat, Vaishali gave 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) the boost of confidence that she needed. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

Once Upon a Springboard

瑞丽 (Rayli) magazine April 2024 issue is out, featuring five-time Olympic gold medal diver 吴敏霞 (Wú Mǐnxiá). Photos: 摄影师泽林 (Photographer Zélín).

Basically, Edna, how one sleeps is a very personal subject, and not a “handbook” method that may be sold in a supermarket

Artwork © Crafting A Green World

With Open Eyes

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié)
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 13, 2024
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 Bg4 6. c3 e6 7. Qb3 Qc8 8. h3 Bh5 9. Nh4 Be7 10. g4 Bg6 11. Nxg6 hxg6 12. Be2 a6 13. h4 b5 14. h5!?TN c4 15. Qd1 Qd8 16. Rg1 gxh5 17. gxh5 Bd6 18. Bg5 Be7 19. Bf4 Bd6

20. Bg5. If 20. Bxd6 Qxd6 21. Rxg7 Black would reply 21. ... Ke7 with obvious compensation for the Pawn.
20. ... Be7 21. f4?! In her post-game press conference 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) called 21. f4 a likely mistake “because the Pawn structure looks quite strange for White“. Therefore, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) ought to have contented herself with claiming a draw by threefold repetition after 21. Bf4.
21. ... Rb8 22. a3 a5 23. Bh4?! (23. Kf2 Nh7⩱)
23. ... Kf8 (23. ... Nh5! 24. Bxe7 Qxe7∓)
24. Bg3 Bd6 25. Bh4

25. ... Ne7! 26. Bxf6 gxf6 27. Bf1 b4 28. axb4 axb4 29. Bh3 f5 30. Qf3 Bc7 31. Ke2 Ng8 32. Qg3 Nf6 33. h6 Ke7 34. Qg5 Qf8 35. Ra7 Rc8 36. Bg2? 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) said afterwards she didn’t take 36. Bxf5! any seriously, because 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) was too short of time to make such decisions; in any case, maybe “I can play 36. ... Qxh6”.
36. ... Rxh6 37. Nf3 Rh5 38. Qg3 Ne4 39. Qe1 bxc3 40. bxc3 Qg7

With the time control reached, 谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) now sunk into a thought so long that it evidences sheer resignation.
41. Bf1 Qh8 42. Qa1 Kf6 43. Rg2 Rh3! 44. Ne5 Qh5+ 45. Ke1 Rxe3+ 46. Re2 Qh4+ 47. Kd1 Rxe2 48. Bxe2 Qxf4 49. Qb2 Rh8 50. Bf3 Rh2 51. Qc1 0–1. For mate follows after 51. ... Rd2+ 52. Ke1 Qe3+ 53. Kf1 Ng3#.

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) started all over again, for the better. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

A Walk in Her Shoes

So Edna, one might deduce that a perfect synthesis can be achieved by walking in sleep

Artwork © Crafting A Green World

The Way Back

雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) – Rameshbabu Vaishali
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 11, 2024
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. 0-0 d6 6. c3 a5 7. Nbd2 0-0 8. Re1 Be6 9. h3 h6 10. Bb5 Ne7 11. d4 Bb6?!TN 12. Bd3?! Looking all over the board for fear of a surprise, 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) renounced the gain of the Pawn, which, instead, she should have done.
12. ... Re8 13. Nf1 exd4 14. Nxd4 Ng6 15. Ng3 Bd7 16. Bd2 Ne5 17. Bf1 d5 18. exd5 Nxd5 19. Qb3 c6 20. Ne4

A picturesque situation, with four Knights cubed in the middle of the board.
20. ... Qc7 21. a4 Rad8 22. Rad1 Ng6 23. Bc1 Ba7 24. c4 Nb4 25. c5 Nd5 26. Bc4 Bc8 27. Bxd5 cxd5 28. Nb5 Qb8?⊕ (28. ... Qe5 29. Nxa7 dxe4)

29. Nxa7? 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) misses here a winning Queen sacrifice: 29. Qxd5!! Rxd5 30. Nf6+ gxf6 31. Rxe8+ Kh7 32. Rxd5 and Black cannot avoid further loss of material.
29. ... Qxa7 30. Rxd5 Be6 31. Rxd8 Rxd8?⊕ (31. ... Bxb3! 32. Rxe8+ Kh7=)
32. Qc3 b6 33. b3 Bf5 (33. ... Kh7 34. Bb2 Rg8 35. Qd4+−)

34. Nf6+! 34. Bxh6! is a dual.
34. ... Kh8. If 34. ... gxf6 35. Qxf6 Kh7 36. Bb2 Rg8 37. Re8 Nf8 38. Rxf8 with mate in a few moves.
35. Bxh6 bxc5 36. Nh5 1–0. 36. Bxg7+! Kxg7 37. Ne8++ Kh6 38. Qg7+ Kh5 39. Nf6+ Kg5 40. h4+! K~ 41. Qh6# would be, if possible, even more exact.

After a bad start in the early days of the tournament, 雷挺婕 (Léi Tǐngjié) is finally climbing back to her level. Photo: Maria Alekseevna Emelianova/chess.com.

In a way, Edna, we could say, “Solvitur ambulando”

Courtesy of sohu.com

Walk on By

Nurgyul Salimova – Aleksandra Yuryevna Goryachkina
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 10, 2024
8/6R1/2p1knp1/3p1p2/5P2/4PK1B/2r2P2/8 b - - 3 50

Position after 50. Rb7-g7

Salimova’s Catalan Opening didn’t work out well, and White ended up in an endgame where she had Rook, Bishop and three Pawns against Rook, Knight and four Pawns. And it was enough for Goryachkina to bring home the win:
50. ... Ne4! 51. Rxg6+ Kf7 52. Rg2 Kf6 53. Rh2 c5 54. Bf1 c4 55. Be2 Rd2! 56. Rh6+ Ke7 57. Rh7+ Kd6 58. Rh6+ Kc5 59. Rh5 c3! 60. Rxf5 c2 0–1.

“A walk for me is part of my preparation”, Goryachkina said afterwards. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

As they say, Edna, the harder they hit you, the more they hurt themselves

Artwork © Frank (@frankthegamermd)

Crazy Wild

谭中怡 (Tán Zhōngyí) – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 10, 2024
Queen’s Pawn Game D05

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. b3. The Rubinstein Attack.
5. ... Nc6 6. 0-0 b6 7. Bb2 Bb7 8. Nbd2 Rc8. Another way is 8. ... Be7 9. c4 0-0 10. Rc1 Rc8 11. Qe2 Nd7 12. Rfd1 Bf6 13. Nf1 g6 14. Bb1 Qe7 15. Ng3 Rfd8 16. e4 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 cxd4 18. exd5 exd5 19. Qxe7 Bxe7 20. cxd5 Bxd5 21. Bxd4 ½–½ A. K. Rubinstein – Leonhardt, International Chess Tournament, Karlsbad 1907.
9. a3 Be7 10. Ne5 cxd4 11. exd4

11. ... Nxe5?! Sounder is 11. ... 0-0 12. f4 Nxe5 (12. ... Qc7 13. c3 Ne8 14. Qe2 Bd6 15. Rae1 Qe7 16. b4 a5 17. Rf3 Nd8? 18. Bxh7+! gave White an irresistible attack, Najdorf – Rossetto, 5th International Chess Tournament, Mar del Plata 1942) 13. fxe5 Ne4 14. Qe2 Qc7 transposing in Blake – Michell, 35th City of London Club Championship, London 1925.
12. dxe5 Nd7?! 12. ... Ne4! was imperatively called for.
13. Qg4 g6 14. b4 a5 15. Nf3 0-0 16. Rae1 axb4 17. axb4 Ra8

18. h4! 18. Ra1! first, followed by h2-h4, is also, paradoxically, very strong.
18. ... Ra4 19. h5 Rxb4 20. Nd4 g5. What else?
21. Bc3 Ra4 22. f4 Qc8 23. Bb2 Nc5 24. f5 exf5. If 24. ... h6 then 25. f6! Bd8 26. Bc1! forcing Black to give up at least an Exchange to avoid the worst.
25. Bxf5 Qd8?⊕ (25. ... Qe8 26. e6 f6 27. Re3)
26. h6 (26. e6! f6 27. Bxh7+! Kxh7 28. Qf5+ Kh8 29. Qg6+−)
26. ... Bc8 27. e6 f6 (27. ... fxe6 28. Rxe6!+−)
28. Bxh7+ Kxh7 29. Qf5+ Kh8 (29. ... Kxh6 30. Qh3+ Kg6 31. Nf5+−)
30. Nc6 Qe8 31. Qxg5 Rg8

32. Rxf6?? A miscalculation. Right was 32. Bxf6+! Bxf6 33. Qxf6+ Kh7 34. Qf7+ Qxf7 35. exf7 Rf8 36. Re8 Nd7 (36. ... Ne6 37. Nd8+−) 37. Ne5+− winning.
32. ... Bxf6 33. Qxf6+ Kh7 34. Ne7 Re4??⊕ (34. ... Bxe6! 35. Nxg8 Qxg8 36. Qe7+ Qf7 37. Rxe6 Qxe7 38. Rxe7+ Kxh6=)
35. Rxe4 Nxe4 36. Nxg8 Qxg8 37. Qf7+ 1–0.

Crazy and wild, wilder and crazier. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.

Behind a Locked Door

Rameshbabu Vaishali – Anna Olehivna Muzychuk
Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024; Toronto, April 9, 2024
FEN: 8/2pnk1r1/rp1p1p1p/p2Pp3/P1P1Pp2/1P1N1P1P/4R1P1/2R2K2 w - - 2 34

Position after 33. ... Kf8-e7

Vaishali first dissipated her opening edge and then fell into an inferior endgame. Given her lack of time, therefore, her next move may well be a flash of genius:
34. g4! White gives up a Pawn in the hope of setting up a fortress.
34. ... fxg3 35. f4 h5 36. f5 h4 37. Kg2 Rg8 38. Rc3 Raa8 39. Ne1 Nc5 40. Nd3 Rac8 41. Nxc5 dxc5 42. Rd3 Rcd8 43. Red2 Rd6 44. Rd1 Rgd8 45. Kf3 c6 46. R1d2

46. ... cxd5? Maybe the punctuation is out of order, but 46. ... b5! was, at least, worth trying to find out if Vaishali’s blockhouse was inexpugnable.
47. exd5 Rg8 48. Rg2 Rg5 ½–½.

Vaishali showed her resilience and ability to deal with her adversities. Photo: Michał Walusza/FIDE.